What is Sacred Connection?

Greetings Friend,

This is our moment. Around the country, hundreds of spiritual care providers are offering service to those displaced or swept away by the unrelenting force of multiple hurricanes. Right now, spiritual care providers are tirelessly sharing and working through grief with families affected by the horrors of the Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs shootings. Even now, thousands of law enforcement, firefighters, and the National Guard are being praised as heroes for pulling families from burning homes and pushing back against the deadliest wildfires in California history. The headlines may bring us messages of hurt and anguish formed from these tragedies, but we see something more. We see a human connection. We have an innate desire to serve those in need. Quite often, we seek connections that go beyond the routine. Tragedies like fires, earthquakes, and hurricanes make that deviation for us, but in the most heartbreaking ways—yet it is so important to highlight the fact that we rise to our best selves during these moments when coming to the aid of others. Connecting. Our need for human connection during these times drives us to offer ourselves in ways that we sometimes fail to consider while in our daily routine. When tragedy strikes, we meet the challenge. We delve into the depths of who we are and ask, is there more? Can I be more? What is my purpose? How can I help?

Every day The Chaplaincy Institute is preparing people to be more, to seek beyond what we know, to find purpose in serving our communities. We do this in hopes of actualizing our vision:

A just world that honors the sacred connection of all.

This vision is one for our planet. One for our communities, our neighborhoods, our lives, and our children’s lives. A vision for all that share in life’s beauty and mystique. When you give to ChI, you help us plant seeds of sacred connection. With your help, we can do this and so much more:

Deep Culture – We’ve embarked on an 18-month process at an organizational level, led by a facilitator, to examine how we can better embody cultural diversity at ChI.

Satellite Gatherings – We’ve launched local groups within The ChI Interfaith Community to foster connection between students, seasoned clergy, and spiritual directors for growth, support, healing, and community building.

Three New Intensives in 2018 – We’re proud to launch three new intensives that address current concerns and interests: Spiritual but not Religious, Science and Spirituality, and Death and Dying. We are also offering our Eco-Ministry Intensive again this year.

Embrace Festival and Parliament of World Religions – Our presence at events like these helps further interfaith dialogue, strengthen our partnership with other sacred communities, and reinvigorate our commitment to our own mission and vision.

Empowering people to make sacred connections, and building communities to support them, is what we do; it’s who we are—the need has never been greater. If that’s your desire too, partner with us today as we seek to heal and transform our world. We can do this together.

Warmly,

Vicki Weiland

Executive Director

PS: Your gift will help ChI empower more people to honor sacred connection and build communities to support them. Thank you, in advance, for your generous support.